Safety door catch



s; E. sTEvENToN E'r AL 1,775,786

Slept. 16, 1930.

SAFETY DOOR CATCH Filed Nov. 14, 1929 g Z/u lf W gyj fr `a u Patented Sept. 16, 193()A i. UNITEDrsTATl-:s

SETE n sTin'vENro'N,V or MOUNT CARMEL, AND DAVTD nARnrsoN WTCGs, or DANVILLE,` ILLINOIS PATENT OFFICE.

SAFETY Doon CATCH Application led November 14, 1929. Serial No. 407,208.V

This invention relates to a safety catch for adapted to be pivotally mounted on the doorV 15, of the car and yieldingly held in engagement with the keeper, and means forretracting the bolt and adapted to be operated without the aid of a key fromv the inside or outside of .the car. *The bolt and keeper Vco- 20, operate to hold the door'in partly or fully opened position against accidental closing so as to prevent the loss of life and injuries which so frequently occur as the fresult of the accidental closing of such doors. The

door in closed position against accidental opening andfto permit the accidental movemento-f the door from a partly openedposition .in the direction of its fully opened position.

objects tolimprove and simplify the general construction of the safety catch andtofpr'ovide oneby means of which the door, in addition to beingrpositivelyheld against-accidental movement from its fully closed or fully opened position7 will be positively held against accidentalmovement from a partly.

vopened position in the direction of its fully possibility of the loss of lifeand injuries will be avoided. v

,The present invention has for a'further object to provide a safety catch by means 45V of which the doors ofV various types of rail-- bolt and keeper .also Cooperate to hold the The present invention has for onewof its` opened or closed positionto the'end that all way baggage and express cars mayibeheld against accidental opening and' closing` movements.

The present invention has for a furtherv obJect toprovidea safety catch wherein the. bolt retracting' means shall be of such'con struction as to prevent its-operation from outside of the car except by a key.

The presentinvention has for a still fur-4 ther objectto ,providea safety catch Vwhere`-,

in the channel bar shall be provided on the interiorvthereof with elements adapted vto` permitfit to ffunctionas the'keeperl` of: the catch .and wherein this keeper shall be adapted .to permit different type bolts ltolbe use f With Athe'foregoing and other objects view, the nature of which willappearas the description proceeds, the invention consists inthe. construction, combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter` fully.` described andrclaimefd, and illustratedfin the accompanying drawing,; wherein Figure Lis a view in sid .elevation of a,

fragmentary portion of a railway baggage or kexpress car.' havinghthe door' thereof equipped vwith a safetyk catch ycoznstrlicted'in` accordance with our invention, i

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the vertical planes, indicated by the line 2,-#2

Figure 3 is-aview partlyji'nielevation and partly inl vertical' section illustrating the n is adapted to manner in which the keeper be secured tothe door posts;`

Figure Ai'sfa view `in sideelevation `of, a" fragmentary portion of Athe keeper, illustrat-`Vv ing thedifferent-positions in which the bolt" engaging pins may be arrangedtherein;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a'sligl'lt-` Y ly modified form of'the bolt;

Figure 6 Vis an elevational view of a fur-l ther modilied form of the bolt;

Figure Tis a view illustrating a slightly .Y

modiied form` of the means" for connectingV the bolts of Figures l, 2 and 5 to the door, and

Figure 8 is a sectional view through the bolt and its supporting means shown in Figure 7 Referring in detail to the drawing, 1 designates a side, 2 the door posts, and 3 the sliding door of a railway baggage or eX- press car, the door being mounted by means, not shown, for movement to the left while being opened.

The safety catch comprises a keeper 4 which is of channel or inverted U-form in cross section. The keeper 4 receives the upper end portions of the door posts 2, and is secured to the door post by bolts 5. To permit of its ready application to the door posts 2, the keeper 4 is delivered for application wit-h the terminal portions of one4 of its flanges 6 arranged in horizontal alinement with its web 7, as shown in Figure 3. VAfter the application of the keeper 4 to the door posts 2, these flange portions 6 are bent downwardly into contact with the door posts, and after this has been done, the bolts are applied. Y

rlhe keeperv 4 is'provided on the interior thereof with pins 8 with which the bolt 9 co* operates to secure the door 3 against accidental movement from any position which it may occupy. The pins 8 extend transversely of the keeper 4, and are arranged in relatively spaced relation in the direction of the length ofthe keeper. Any desired or required number of the pins 8 may be employed, and they may be arranged centrally between the upper and lower edges of the keeper, as shown in Figure 1 or in one of the positions 8a, 8b or 8, as shown in Figure 4. `When the pins 8 are arranged in the position 8a, a keeper of the maximum eiective depth is provided, when they are arranged in the position 8c, a keeper of the minimum eHective depth is provided, and when they are arranged in either of the other positions, a keeper of intermediate effective depth is provided.

p The keeper 4 occupies a position above the door 3, and the door moves in a vertical plane situated slightly outward of the plane occupied by the outer flange 6 ofthe keeper. To support i-tfor movement into and out of the ke`eper4 without danger of engaging the flanges 6 thereof, the bolt 9 is slidably mounted upon a spacing or filler block 10 secured to the inner side of the door 3. The bolt 9 is secured to the block 10 for vertical movement with respect to the keeper 4 and pins 8, and the means for securing it to the block may consist of a screw 11 carried by the block and passing through a vertically elongated slot l2formed in the bolt. The bolt 9fis normally maintained in raised or active position by a spring 13 which is arranged within the slot 12 and bears atV its lower end against the pin 11 and at its upper end against the upper wall of the slot. The bolt 9 may be connected to the block 10 by a dovetail rib 14 formed thereon and mounted in the dovetail slot 15 formed in the block, as shown in Figure 7. When the bolt 9 is connected to the block 10 in this manner, it is normally maintained in active position by a spring 16.

The bolt 9 is provided in its upper edge with a notch 17 and the lugs 17a formed by the notch have their upper ends inclined downwardly and outwardly, as at 17h. The bolt 9 is normally engaged with the keeper 4, and it may engage one or a pair of the pinsV 8. lVhen it is in engagement with a pair of pins 8, the bolt 9 occupies a position between the pins. When the bolt 9 is in engagement with one of' the pins 8, the pin engaged occupies the notch 17 of the bolt.

As the bolt 9 may engage one or a pair of the pins 8, the door 3 may be opened to any desired or required extent. The beveled end portions 17h of the bolt 9 enables the door 3 to be moved in the direction of its fully opened er fully closed position when the bolt is not sufficiently retracted to carry the said end portions fullybc'low the path of thev pins 8. The bolt 9 will, when in engagement with one or a pair of the pins. 8, hold the door against accidental movement when in fully closed or fully opened position and against accidental movement in opposite directions when in partly opened position.

Means by which the bolt 9 may be retracted or withdrawn from engagement with the keeper 4, comprises a pull rod 18 which is pivotally connected at its upper end, as at 19, to the dog and is connected at its lower end to a cam 2() carried by a spindle 2l journaled in the door 3. The pull rod 18 is connected to the cani 2O through the medium of a yoke 22,4 the yoke and cam being of such construe tion as to permit the bolt 9, after it has been retracted and released, to be returned to its projected position by the spring 12. The pull rod 18 is of sectional formation and the sections 18a and 18" thereof are connected by a turnbuckle 28 which permits the effective length of the rod to be varied. The spindle 2l is provided with collars 24 and which Contact with the inner and outer surfaces ofthe door 3 and support the spindle against tilting movement in the bearing opening 2G provided therefor in the door.

The cam 2O is provided with a circular flange 27 which constitutes a knob through the medium of which the spindle 21 may be turned to effect the retraction of the bolt 9.

rlfhe knob flange 27 is located at the inner side of the door o, and if desired, a spindle turning loop 28 may be used in place thereof, the loopwhen used being pivoted to the spindle. The outer end 29 of the spindle 21 is of angular formation to permit the retraction of the bolt 9 from outside of the car only through the medium of a baggage car key which is provided with a `socket for the reception of the angular outer end of the spindle. y i

In Figure 5, a modified form of the bolt is shown. This bolt 9a differs from the bolt 9 in that it is provided at its upper end with the reduced extension 30 instead of the notch 17. The bolt extension 30 is adapted to engage the keeper l at a point between any pair of the pins 8. To facilitate the easy engagement of the bolt extension 30 with the pins 8, the upper end of the extension is pointed, as at 30a. If desired, the pivoted bolt shown in Figure 6 may be used in place of a sliding bolt. When used, the pivoted bolt 31 is secured to the door 3 by a bracket 32 and is connected to the upper end of the pull rod 18 by a pin 33. The bolt 31 is pro-- vided with an angular end 34 which is adapted to engage between any pair of the pins 8. One lateral side of the bolt end 34 is arcuate, as at 35, and the other lateral face thereof is straight, as shown at 36. The upper and lower faces of the bolt end 34 are inclined, as at 37. The formation of the bolt end 34 is such as topermit it to readily engage between a pair of the pins 8, such as to permit it to be readily withdrawn from engagement with the pins, and such as to positively hold the door against accidental movement in opposite direci ions. Y The pivoted bolt 31 is pivoted intermediate its ends, as at 38, to the bracket`32, and its is normally maintained in projectedposition by a spring 39. l Y

If desired, the keeper 4: may be applied to the door post with its open side uppermost, and when it is mounted in thisposition, the dog shown in our co-pending application may be employed.' ln order to prevent injury to the pull rod 18 and to the turnbuckle 23, a guard -40 is p rovided for these parts, the guard being secured to the car door 3.

It should be apparent from the vforegoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing,that the safety catch will positively hold the door, when in fully open or fully closed position or when in partly opened position, against accidental movement, that the bolt may be freely retracted from inside the car, and that the bolt may be only retracted from outside ofy the car through the medium of a key.

It will be further understood that the safety c atch is simple and durable, is capable of being manufacturedand installed at comparatively low cost, is capable of efcient use on baggage and express cars of different constructions, and is positive and quick in action.

While we have described the principle of `our invention, together with the structure which we now consider the preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that the structurel shown yis w' mrely illustrative and that suchtchangespmay bel Inadeg when' de-.l

tion as claimedlf siredy as fall4 lwithin. fthe "scope of the.l invenlV 11 :Ai catch for a; r-slidably mounted door," comprisinga :keeper adapted/,to be secured across.v1 the '.-upper fportion Aof the@ door" lopentiol 2. A catch for a slidably mounted door,

comprising a keeper adapted to be secured across the upper portion of the door opening, the keeper being ofv channel formation with its open side facing downwardly, metal pins arranged in spaced relation within and extending across the keeper, a bolt adapted to be mounted upon the door for engagement between a pair of the pins to secure the door in closed position or in an opened position against accidental movement in opposite drections, and means releasably holding the bolt inpin engaging position. i

3. A catch for a slidably mounted door, comprising a keeper adapted to be secured across the upperportion of the door opening, the keeper being of channel formation with its openfside facing downwardly, metal pins arranged in spaced relation within and extending across the keeper, a bolt adapted to be mounted upon the door for movement toward and away from the keeper, the upper end of the bolt being adapted to engage between a pair of the pins and provided` with a notch Vadapted to receive one of the pins to secure the door in closed position or in an opened position against accidental movement in opposite directions, and means releasably holding the bolt in pin engaging position.

4. Acatch for a slidably mounted door, comprising a keeper adapted to be secured across the upper portion of the door opening, the keeper being of channel formation with its open side facing downwardly, metal pins arranged in spaced relation within and extending across the keeper, a bolt adapted to be mounted upon the door for movement toward and away from the keeper, the upper end of the boltbeing adapted to be engaged between a pair of the pins to secure the door in closed position or in an opened position against accidental movement in opposite directions, the upper end of the bolt being provided with beveled portions adapted to facilitate its engagement between a pair of the pins, and means yieldinglyv holding the bolt in pin engaging position.

lio

5. A catch. of the.V character set forth, including a keepei` having paralleianges and a web connectingl the flan es, terminalY pon tions of one of the flanges eing arranged in 5 alinement with the Web and bendable. from said positionA into a-linement With. the intermediate portionof such flange, and' pins teit minally secured to the flanges. between saidV terminal portions; Y

In testimony Whereofwe hereunto; aX our signatures.

SETI-I E. STEVEN'ION.Y DAVID HARRISON WIGGS.. 

